1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to 2-(benzylsulfinyl)thiazole derivatives and 2-[(1H-pyrazol-4-ylmethyl)sulfinyl]thiazole derivatives. The present invention furthermore provides mixtures of the thiazole derivatives mentioned above with other herbicides and/or safeners. In addition, the present invention relates to processes for preparing the thiazole derivatives mentioned above and to the use of these compounds as plant growth regulators alone and in combination with safeners and/or in mixtures with other herbicides, in particular to their use for controlling plants in specific crop plants or as crop protection regulators.
2. Description of Related Art
It is already known from the prior art that certain 2-(benzylsulfinyl)thiazole derivatives and 2-[(1H-pyrazol-4-ylmethyl)sulfinyl]thiazole derivatives have herbicidal properties. Thus the Japanese patent application JP 2003/096059 describes herbicidally active thiazole derivatives which carry a benzylthio or benzylsulfonyl group as substituents at the 2-position of the thiazole ring.
WO 2006/123088 describes various 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)thio]-, 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)sulfinyl]- and 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)sulfonyl]thiazole derivatives, their preparation and their use as herbicides.
However, on application, the active compounds already known from the publications mentioned above have disadvantages, be it    (a) that they have no or else insufficient herbicidal activity against harmful plants,    (b) that the spectrum of harmful plants that can be controlled with an active compound is not wide enough, or    (c) that their selectivity in crops of useful plants is insufficient.
In particular, the herbicidally active thiazole compounds known from the prior art have unsatisfactory herbicidal activity against certain weed grasses and at the same time unsatisfactory crop plant compatibility in certain crops.